For guys, there is kinda an unwritten rule that if you want to get ahead in the workplace, you need to have short hair. Just look around at your work and you’ll see an absence of men with flowing locks. For men who want to keep their long hair, or grow it out, there are only a few ways to do it.

Many men, includingPresident Lyndon Johnson, grew their hair out after they retired. But why wait! If you’re a guy and you like to have long hair, then keep reading. Here are a few tips for men who want to get away with having long hair in the workplace.
​1. You work in an industry that allows men to have long hair. There are many industries that will allow me to have their hair long, food service, entertainment, automotive repair, landscaping, etc. If you work in any of these industries, then keeping your hair long won’t be a problem for you.

2. Your boss is a man with long hair. Chances are that if you work at a company where your boss is a man with long hair, the likelihood of you having the freedom to grow your hair are pretty good. When you have the support of your superiors, getting away with long hair is easier.

3. You’re a men’s hair donor. Only about one percent of men are hair donors. While unicorn sightings are more common, men who are hair donors have an easier time getting away with long hair, because they are growing their hair for a good cause. Many studies have found that individuals who don’t conform to the “ideal worker norm” have a harder time finding and keeping a job in their field. If you’re a hair donor, you’ll be able to get around this.
​4. You’re the boss. This goes without saying, but if you are already in a position of power in your career, growing your hair is easier because you have a record of success in your field.
​It can be hard to get away with having your hair long in the workplace, if you’re a guy. In the end you may not be able to do it. If you can’t, the least you can do is follow these 7 steps to your most handsome face.

For the first time in seventy one years, the Chicago Cubs went to the World Series. As the holder of the record of the longest World Series drought, the Chicago Cubs and their fans have been through the ringer. For decades, the Chicago Cubs just couldn’t make it to the playoffs.

Some people blamed the billy goat. Others said the team was cursed. Well, the Chicago Cubs have turned things around this year and are poised to be World Series champions withone game left to play.

There may very well be more unicorns than men’s hair donors (currently around one percent of men are hair donors), but there are similarities between the Chicago Cubs and men’s hair donors.

Cubs Fans And Men’s Hair Donors Are Diehards

The team known as, “the lovable losers” has known more than its fair share of defeat. For men’s hair donors, all too often the pressure mounts to quit. Just as many Cubs fans over the years have been on the verge of disavowing their team after a crushing loss, men’s hair donors face many “losses” that make it hard to keep going.

Hair growing to awkward length, being called “miss” by the barista, getting their hair stuck in the car door, and all that added hair maintenance are just a few of the challenges that have men’s hair donors lamenting the “loss" of their short hair.

Men’s Hair Donors And Cubs Fans Are Both Proud Of Their “Team”

With The Chicago Cubs in the World Series, its a good time to be a Chicago Cubs fan. Even if they lose, Cubs fans are still proud of their team. The same is true for men’s hair donors, their long flowing locks are like a badge of honor.

When a friend or coworker chide, “Hey, your hair’s getting long when are you going to cut it?” men’s hair donors shrug it off because they know that their hair will go to a woman or child in need.

We will find out tonight if the Cubs win the World Series and end their long championship drought, and for men’s hair donors nearing the end of their hair donation journey, they will provide a woman or child in need of a wig the hair that they need. Even if the Cubs don’t win tonight, they have already won. And for men’s hair donors still on their journey, their “World Series” win will come on their donation day.

Life throws us curve balls all the time. When we think everything is going well, a challenge shows up. But just as quick as challenges show up, they can disappear even quicker.

When I was twelve years old, I started a new school. It was difficult to be the new kid. There was this one kid who started picking on me. He use to give me the business. One day, at recess, he thought it would be fun to walk up to me and throw a rubber ball right in my face, while all his friends watched.

For me this was the last straw. As he walked away, I picked myself up and ran him down. I jumped on his back turned him over and started wailing on him. He was a bigger kid, but I had had enough. Now I don’t condone violence, but I had to defend myself and his bullying had to stop.
​I only got in a few hits on him before a teacher came and broke us up. He was shocked. His friends actually were rooting for me! We didn’t get in trouble, and after that we all became friends. This was the only fight I got into and it was a pivotal moment in my childhood.

Sometimes, I think back to that fight and I feel the same is true for men’s hair donors; both determination and fortitude are needed, but there is a happy ending.

Here are a few of the signs that you NEED to be a hair donor:
​1. You love to rebel.To some degree, all of us love to rebel. But if your level of rebellion is more like a full on x-wing attack, then you're probably ready to be a hair donor. There are many ways to rebel. For you it may be owning a Harley, or dressing up and going to theRenaissance Faire, or wearing pink to supportBreast Cancer Awareness. If you love to rebel, you were born to be a hair donor.​

2. You’re a volunteer extraordinaire.As a volunteer, you know the joy that giving brings. Most volunteering opportunities are short term. They don’t require the length of time commitment that hair donation does, but as an outstanding volunteer you are ready for the challenge that being a hair donor requires!

Photo: Chris & Karen Highland

​3. You stand up for the little guy. Think back to your childhood. Do you remember a time when you had a friend who was being picked on and you stood up for him? Do you remember how good it felt. Well, when you’re a men’s hair donor, you are not only helping to breakdown the stigma that prevents men from having long hair in the workplace, but you are also helping to provide someone who desperately need your hair!​4. You’re have the entrepreneurial spirit.If you have that get up and go attitude, someone who doesn’t want to just punch a clock; then becoming a men’s hair donor is for you. When you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you are ready to do what it takes to succeed. Being a hair donor requires the same dedication that fuels your entrepreneurial spirit.

5. You are a rockstar in sales.As a salesmen you have been the face of the company. Your perseverance has pushed you to the of your company. In order to get there, you had to deal with a lot of rejection. But you know rejection is just something that just needs to be pushed through. Well, the same is true of your hair donation journey.

There are a lot of reasons that you may have not been able to be the rebel you know you are. It may be the case that you have had to conform to the standards of your industry. It may be that you bowed to the pressure of your parents or teachers. It may be that you thought that you couldn’t grow you hair.

Whatever the reason, you know that there is so much more to you! Yes, life does throw you curve balls, but if you are willing to stand up for what you know is right, and become a hair donor, then there is a great ride waiting for you! If any of these signs are in your life, take the plunge and start your journey as a men’s hair donor!

Once upon a time, I kinda looked down on men with long hair. Sure, when I was in college, I had friends with long hair; but when I entered the business world, my feelings changed. I’m not too sure if any of them were hair donors, but now that I am one my view of long haired men has changed.

Along the way to inspire men to be hair donors, I have heard a lot of excuses from men who have told me that they are inspired by my story, but couldn't be hair donors themselves. I’ll be the first to admit that being a hair donor hasn’t always been roses. There are a lot of inconveniences and annoyances that have tested me on my hair donor journey.

Here are some of the bad excuses I’ve heard from men who’ve told me they can’t be hair donors:
​1. “Hair donation isn't for me, my boss wouldn’t support me”This is the most common excuse I hear. All too often, there is a fear that being a hair donor won’t be supported by their employer. A recent study by Stanford University confirms their concerns aren’t unqualified.

In order to address this, it is important to have a dialogue with your employer. Many companies support their employee’s volunteering efforts. Some companies even pay their employees to volunteer.

Don't be so sure that your company wouldn’t support you: ASK THEM :)

2. “I’m bald!”Granted you can’t be a hair donor, if you can’t grow hair; but, that shouldn’t stop you from supporting other men from starting their hair donation journey. While it may be too late for you to donate, it is never too late to get involved.

3. “I grew up with short hair, and I don’t think my family would like me with long hair.”It’s true that most boys grew up with short hair, but that shouldn’t stop you from being a hair donor. Many men have watched as the women they love suffered from an illness that caused them to lose your hair. I hope that you never have to go through that kind of pain. Growing your hair is an action that requires little effort by you. Aside from the added hair maintenance, you just have to not cut it!

By discussing your hair donation journey with your family, and why it is important for you; you’ll be on your way to their support.

4. “Growing my hair would take too long. I don’t think I could do it.”As Americans we love to give! Last year, we donated around $270 billion to the charities we love. Growing your hair for donation provides a gift that someone in need of a real hair wig can’t get on their own. While it is easy to give money to charities, and you should continue to do so, growing your hair is the perfect example of “walking the talk’ to prove your commitment to giving to a charity.

Yes, growing your hair for donation takes years, but the lessons you will learn about yourself, your ability to give, the pain and struggle of others, and how strong you can be are all byproducts of your hair donation journey.

5. “Dating will be harder for me, if I have long hair.” WRONG. Once you explain the reasons behind your long hair, you are sure to attract the right person into your life. If not the right person, then you will get to meet people who share your passion and dedication to help people in need. I met someone who liked my long hair. She accepted me for who I am and is supportive of my journey.

Starting your “tour-of-duty” as a men’s hair donor can be exciting and daunting at the same time. Making the decision to be a hair donor takes resolve and commitment, but it is also an exciting chance to experience what it’s like to have long hair, while also giving to a great cause.

For many men’s hair donors, growing their hair for donation may be the first time they have ever had there hair long and this experience brings with it many other ”firsts” that will be new to many them.

Here are a few of the most annoying things that I hate about being a men’s hair donor.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/proimos/4199675334/

Finding Your Hair EVERYWHERE. One thing that many men’s hair donors may not be ready for is the fact that hair gets everywhere. The longer it gets, the more it seems like it gets all over. From the sink, to the pillow, to your desk; your hair gets everywhere.

Hair Getting In Your Mouth. Stepping outside into a breeze, drinking from a fountain, and during mealtime; hair always seems to be getting in your mouth. The longer it gets, the worse it gets. If pulling your hair back with a headband or hair tie is not for you, then get comfortable with hair getting in your mouth.

​That Awkward Length.When your hair starts to get a little longer (that Luke Skywalker/Beatles mop top length) and it lays on your face in an awkward way; it can really be frustrating. Hair right at the eye level can’t be pulled behind the ears yet, and this can be really be uncomfortable, both socially and physically. At this stage, it is best to find a good comfortable hat or a style that suits you with a headband or hair tie.

Being Referred To In The Feminine.All too often, when walking into a restaurant or store, the clerk might say “Hello, ladies.” or “Welcome, miss” before they realize their mistake. Now I’m comfortable with myself and this is a welcome embarrassment for me, but for the newbie men’s hair donor this may be something to work through. As a men’s hair donor, you run the risk of being referred to in the feminine and this can get old really quick.

Getting Your Hair Stuck.Whether it’s under your significant other’s arm, or in the car door, or in your jacket zipper, getting your hair stuck can be the worst. Not only does it hurt at times, but there can be uncomfortable knots to work out.

Added Hair Maintenance.One of the great things about having short hair is the relatively low maintenance it demands. Well, when you’re a hair donor; that all changes. Long hair takes more upkeep than short hair, and for most new men’s hair donors the added time it takes to maintain a healthy donatable head of locks can be eye opening. For me, I wash, condition, and blow dry my hair. Blow drying my hair adds more time to my routine, and it is something that definitely takes getting use to.

​Sure, growing your hair can be annoying, and in the beginning it will seem like these things are happening all the time. During my hair donation journey, there have been many times when I just wanted to shave my head. Hair donation is not always a picnic, but after a while, it will become second nature to make the adjustments needed to get over those things that you hate about the hair donation tour-of-duty.

In the face of all these challenges, it may test your resolve as a hair donor.For me, hair donation is a badge of honor.When I am faced with uncomfortable moments, I keep the end goal in mind. You possess a resource that someone desperately needs, a healthy head of hair.

If you’ve have ever volunteered, given a gift to a child, or money to a charity; then you know the joy that giving brings. The only difference that being a hair donor has with the previous examples is the time between the thought of giving and the actual act of giving it.

With each challenge you overcome, the more you will appreciate the gift your hair donation provides to someone in need.

For the past three years, I have been growing my hair to donate to charity. Back then, I wasn't even doing it to be a hair donor, but just because my wife liked my hair long. Right before we got married, I cut it.

​I was starting a new job and like many recent college graduates I didn’t want my long hair keeping me from advancing professionally. Years later, when we found out my wife was pregnant with our son, her only condition (jokingly of course) and I’m paraphrasing here ,was:​

Photo: C. Bell

"I'll grow our son, if you grow your hair."

​I reluctantly agreed knowing that growing my hair was going to be at odds with advancing my career. I was still only just getting started in healthcare project management and, like in many industries; long haired men aren't taken seriously.

When my wife and I separated after our son was born, I was lost and faced with the choice of what to do with my life and what to do with my hair. It had already been over a year and a half of growth and I was doing it for her.

​Now that our relationship was over, I didn't know what to do. It seemed like cutting my hair then would be selfish in a way, since I had been growing it because I loved her.

The Decision to Be A Hair DonorIt was then that I made the decision to grow it out and donate it, no matter what the cost to my career would be. Since then, it has been hard to advance my career, but my mind was made up because I knew it was the right thing to do.

Someone who needed my hair donation was going to get it.
​Fast forward to today, my hair is nearing the length acceptable for donation, but along the way my hair isn't the only thing that has been growing, and the idea to break down the stigma attached to men with long hair was also born.

And while hair is not a vital organ for survival, for most women it is a definition of their individuality. Most real hair wigs cost between $3,600 - $6,000. Many women who need wigs need them due to a medical condition.

Strapped with medical bills, many cannot afford a real hair wig. If it were socially acceptable for men to donate their hair, many more women and children would be able to get the hair they need to help them retain their identity during their difficult health issue.

Many fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons have had to watch as the women they love go through an illness that caused them to lose there hair, and I'm sure that once the stigma is broken those same men would be happy to grow their hair to donate it.
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As my journey continues, I have found that hair donation has been harder than I expected, but I’m looking forward to the future. If you've never considered being a hair donor, this may be your moment!

ABOUT ME

Christopher Bell is an accidental hair donor, advocating for men to embrace the journey of hair donation while also working to remove the social stigma preventing men from growing their hair in the workplace.